Wausau Pilot & Review
Editor’s note: This sponsored weekly feature shares the stories of locally-owned and operated businesses and organizations in the Wausau area, highlighting the products and services they offer and the ways they contribute to the metro area’s unique flavor. Learn how to feature your business by emailing [email protected].
This week’s featured Wausau business is Central Wisconsin School of Ballet, 124 N. Third Ave., which has offered dance instruction to beginners and professionals alike for decades, along with nationally recognized and award-winning performances. The school, located in the historic Mary Poor Chapel, houses three studios that feature the safest and most enjoyable learning environment. From its basket-weave sprung floors to its comprehensive certified Pilates studio and dance boutique, the CWSB is committed to providing the community with the best possible dance options for both in-studio and virtual classes.
Founder Waltraud G. Karkar established the Central Wisconsin School of Ballet in 1969 with a vision to create the highest quality dance education program in the region. Madame Karkar received extensive training in Europe and the United States, which included completing the Vaganova Grades with Madame Vilu Vecsey, Prima Ballerina in Budapest, Hungary. During the course of her career as a teacher, Madame Karkar studied with and was coached by a number of highly regarded dance teachers, schools, and companies, including Joan Lawson of the Royal Ballet of England, the Stone-Camryn School of Ballet in Chicago, and the Joffrey Ballet in New York.
Madame Karkar’s son, Patrik Kasper, joined his mother at the School in 1997. After growing up under the tutelage of his mother, he went on to train at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. He then professionally danced and competed for 15 years with companies around the United States. He was a member of the USA Team that traveled to the International Varna Competition, where he and his dance partner placed in the top six and became the first Americans to reach the finals in 10 years. He was also trained and certified by the world-renowned Pilates instructor Romama Kryzanowska.
Today the School boasts an award-winning summer intensive program with guest artists that have included: former Kirov Ballet star Irina Kolpakova, who is the current Ballet Mistress at the American Ballet Theater; Vladilen Semynov, former Ballet Master of the Vaganova School; and Derryl Yeager and Veronica Yeager of Odyssey Dance Theater. The School has also welcomed guests from the Milwaukee Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, Boston Ballet, Royal Ballet of England, and Bolshoi Ballet.
In 2004, the School embarked on its first international tour to Germany at the invitation of Moritz Landgraf Von Hessen. Students performed for the Darmstadter Residenz Festspiele in Darmstadt as well as the Schloss Fasanerie Barock-Castle in Eichenzell – Fulda.
Now in its fifth decade, the Central Wisconsin School of Ballet is committed to providing students with a strong foundation in classical technique, instilling a commitment to the art form, and eliciting a joy of dancing. Here, Patrik Karkar speaks to the history of the school, its contribution to the community and its commitment to providing awe-inspiring performances including annual productions of Thriller and Nutcracker – which Newsweek magazine called one of the nine most notable Nutcracker performances in the nation.
Who are your instructors, and what is their background?
I am proud of the CWSB teaching faculty. All of our instructors have either dance degrees or extensive experience in dance training. Kayla has a dance degree from UW-Milwaukee. Kristin was a professional ballet dancer. Betsy grew up in CWSB and trained with all of the amazing guest instructors we brought in over the years. Katie has extensive gymnastics training from Olympic coaches and has taught across the USA. And I trained under my mother, Madame Karkar, Joffrey in NYC, am American Ballet Theatre certified, and trained extensively in the vaganova method with Irina Kolpakova. I also danced professionally and competed on the USA team at the International Varna Competition.
What styles of dance instruction do you offer, and for which age groups?
While ballet is the foundation for all styles of dance, we offer everything from broadway to ballet. We offer ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, hip hop, musical theatre, acro, and tumbling. We offer parent and child classes for toddlers as young as 1.5 to adult enrichment classes.
Among dance studios in the area, what makes Central Wisconsin School of Ballet stand out? What makes it unique?
First, how long we have been in dancing in the community. Second, the dance education we offer. Third, the opportunities. My parents, Madame Waltraud and Dr. Jack Karkar, started CWSB in the living room of their McIndoe St. home in 1969. So, we have been a part of the Wausau arts community for almost 55 years. They were also instrumental in bringing some of the most respected names in the dance and musical theatre worlds to Central Wisconsin as guest companies, artists, and instructors, including the iconic Irina Kolpakova. From this foundation, we have built an exceptional dance education program equally committed to teaching the art form and instilling a love of dance in children. Finally, we offer all of our dancers rich performance opportunities and our local and state communities the opportunity to appreciate the cultural events we host. At the heart of our school is a love of the arts.
Tell us about Wausau Dance Theatre, and its mission. When did this form, and what was the motivation behind it?
Wausau Dance Theater was formed in 1973. It was first called the Central Wisconsin School of Ballet Foundation. In 2002, the name was changed. The general mission of the Foundation is to share the art form of dance through performance and educational opportunities. The Foundation supports our educational outreach efforts, provides scholarships to local children who otherwise would not be able to dance, and helps us bring in guest artists from across the globe as part of our summer programming.
Your Halloween tradition, Thriller: A Dance Spooktacular, returns this year for the 26th year. What is it about the Thriller tradition that keeps audiences coming back, year after year?
Our storyline changes every year and it is simply a fun, traditional event for the whole family to celebrate the Halloween season.
It wouldn’t be the holidays without The Nutcracker. Tell us about this annual event. How do you work to include even the youngest children?
This is an annual tradition that involves the entire school, from our youngest dancers who appear onstage as angels to the most accomplished performers who take on more challenging roles.This year we are welcoming guest dancers Soloist Katherine Williams and Principal Thomas Forster of the American Ballet Theatre. The costumes and scenery are breathtaking, and it has really become a premiere holiday event for the whole family. We also host fun events in The Grand Theater’s Great Hall before and after performances. For example, children can create Nutcracker crafts, take a ballet lesson with Clara and meet The Nutcracker characters while adults can peruse and bid on holiday gift items featured in our silent auction. This year will be our 54th annual production on the first weekend in December, a perfect kickoff to the holiday season.
Tell us about your partnerships with American Ballet Theatre. How do you work together to choose guest dancers for solo and principal roles?
Our partnership with ABT goes back to my mother researching and writing her book, And They Danced On. She included many of the ABT artists and directors in her collection of stories. Then my parents formed a close friendship with Irina Kolpakova and Vladi Semenov, who were CWSB summer faculty for many years. Irina went on to become a Ballet Master at ABT. Through that friendship, we have been able to continue bringing in new and established ABT talent.
Connect with Central Wisconsin School of Ballet
- In person: 124 N. Third Ave., Wausau
- Phone: 715-842-4447
- By email: [email protected]
- Online: cwschoolofballet.com
- On Facebook at Central Wisconsin School of Ballet
Upcoming performances:
